New project uniting football with education in Galway City

AN exciting and innovative new pilot Leaving Cert. syllabus – which incorporates a full-time training programme for teenage soccer players – is about to be rolled out by Galway Community College in Moneenageisha over the coming week.

For any aspiring soccer star hoping to make it in the League of Ireland or, indeed, Cross Channel, ‘The Academy’ will look to develop players’ skills and techniques while also addressing key areas such as strength and conditioning and nutrition.

Students will also work towards achieving the FAI Kickstart One and Two coaching qualifications. At the same time, the same emphasis will also be put on the players receiving a Leaving Cert. education – be they looking to just pass the curriculum or secure 600 points.

Course Director of this ground-breaking project is teacher and Corrib Rangers player Ger Bane, who says this will meet the needs of soccer players who have ambitions of playing at a high level but do not want to sacrifice their education in pursuit of their sporting goal.

He adds it is also an important step in the pathway of players, who can then pursue a Level 6 programme – run by Galway United U-19 manager Johnny Glynn at GTI – and, hopefully, later feed into a top club like Galway United.

“This is an age group where you often see players falling away because there are too many distractions, with alcohol and nights out,” begins Bane. “So, noticing this, we looked at not only how we could hold onto these players but also at attainment – attainment being a good Leaving Cert.

“And not even a good Leaving Cert! It might just be a pass in the Leaving Cert. Or, in some cases, maybe even sitting the Leaving Cert. We asked ‘how can we get these guys to keep coming in?’ So, we needed to motivate them on what they want to be doing. And what they want to be doing is playing football.”

Marrying football with education, the objective is to give players a new focus. To this end, Bane will monitor their development as students while former Derby County and Notts County player Don O’Riordan will supervise and offer invaluable guidance to the players as Director of Football.

In drawing up the model, which the FAI would love to see rolled out across the country, Bane explains the staff cut away subjects like PE, career guidance and work experience. “We have set it up that they are in their studies from 9 o’clock to 1 o’clock every day, then lunch and from 2pm to 4pm they are in full-time training.”

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.